The city is all set for the grand opening of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup. The Jharkhand city makes its debut as hosts of the prestigious century-old tournament with the opening game featuring local side Jamshedpur FC against the Assam Rifles Football Team in a Group D opener at the JRD Tata Sports Complex. This first Super Sunday game kicks off at 4 PM IST. The second match, at Kolkata’s Kishore Bharati Krirangan, will see former champions Mohammedan Sporting take on Durand debutants Inter Kashi in a Group B clash scheduled for a 7 PM IST start.
The crowd will be treated to a thrilling skydiving display and a flypast by Rotary Wing Aircraft from the Army Aviation Wing. A collage of cultural events will then commence before the Chief Guest, Shri Hemant Soren, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand, opens the game with a symbolic kickoff of the match ball.
Jamshedpur FC, popularly known as the Red Miners, are under the tutelage of Khalid Jamil. With an opportunity to play at home in such a significant tournament, they will look to overwhelm Assam Rifles. Speaking ahead of the game, Khalid Jamil said, "We're on home turf, but that's no excuse to take things lightly. We must approach this game with utmost seriousness and respect for our opponents, Assam Rifles. A good start is crucial, and every single player and staff member is focused and geared up for this match. We can't afford to underestimate them – it's time to put in the work and make our home advantage count."
On the other hand, Assam Rifles, who last participated in the 130th edition of the competition, will look to pull off an upset in the Group and make life difficult for the more accomplished teams.
In the second match of the day, I-League champions Mohammedan SC will hope for a winning start in front of their home fans at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan. They will look to better their performance from the last edition, in which they missed the knockout places by virtue of goal difference. The two-time winners of the Durand Cup (1940, 2013) will aim to qualify for the knockouts this time around at the very least. Head Coach of the Mohammedan SC Reserves side, Hakim Ssengendo, said, "We are excited about our first game in the Durand Cup, and it is a chance for the youngsters to prove themselves at the start of the season. The atmosphere is very good, and the fans are excited to see our team play. We cannot wait to get on the pitch and get to a good start."
Inter Kashi FC, who debuted in the I-League this past season, will look to make a strong impression in this top Cup competition. They finished a respectable fourth in their first season, proving to be tough opponents. With experienced players like Arindam Bhattacharya and other exciting young talents, the first professional team from Uttar Pradesh aims to impress everyone with their performances.
The 24 teams have been divided into six groups, with Groups A, B, and C being played in Kolkata while Groups D, E, and F are held in Jamshedpur, Kokrajhar, and Shillong respectively. Group toppers and the two best second-placed teams will make it to the quarterfinals scheduled in Kokrajhar and Jamshedpur, besides Kolkata.
